Embracing What's Next While Staying True to Ourselves: Lessons Learnt Post-Acquisition "After 730-something days, I can confirm that success lies in integration (not compromise). It's about weaving our founding values with a forward-looking mindset."

It's been just over two years since our mid-sized boutique was acquired, birthing a globally integrated agency with an expanded network, deeper capabilities, and extended reach.

Our excitement was indisputable, but it raised a question: How do we continue growing, without letting go of what made us unique?

After 730-something days, I can confirm that success lies in integration (not compromise). It's about weaving our founding values with a forward-looking mindset

Defining the future via a 'What's Next' ethos

Refreshing our brand identity came with the expectation of upholding a 75-year legacy of staying one step ahead. This meant emphasizing innovation, focusing on AI adoption, and driving data-driven digital strategies.

These expectations complemented our purpose-driven approach, benefiting both clients and our own growth. We're in the thick of it now and plan to maintain this pace with AI's ever-growing prevalence, but there is more to consider.

As the saying goes, "You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you come from."

Examining the past to bolster the future

At the start, there was no office, no staff, and an unreasonable amount of hope. Today, we have three offices (Dubai, Riyadh, and Manila), 60+ employees, and the same amount of unreasonable hope to fuel us.

Yet, I remain adamant about ensuring we don't lose sight of what got us here. To me, the key question wasn't "Which values do we surrender?" but rather, "Which values do we harmonize?"

1. Understand that client servicing is an art GITEX recently concluded, and our Corporate Division had some outstanding wins. They secured multiple tier-one interviews for a long-standing client and carried this momentum forward. Yet, securing interviews, however impressive, isn't the true measure of top-tier client servicing

Instead, it's about setting the pace to offer best-in-class services through an unmatched standard of excellence by overcommunicating and creating structure in our human and time-led business. It's about realizing that maintaining strong relationships is only part of the equation; being transparent about how we spend our time is just as important

I'll be the first to admit, this approach can sometimes feel a little like micro-management. But it's not about control. It's about making sure our clients feel valued, understood, and confident in our commitment to their success. Because if you were paying for a service, wouldn't you want to understand how that time is being used?

Above all, thoughtful work and big-picture focus help anticipate challenges before they arise. Any agency worth its salt knows real success hinges on being proactive, not reactive.

2. Flip culture from the bottom up With growth, core values must evolve. We host regular "Culture Canvas" sessions where employees share what's not working, what can improve, and where we want to be next. Teams challenge or rephrase value statements, so they reflect a lived reality and not dusty artifacts.

If "client centric, team first" becomes a hollow motto, we lose trust.

When we were just starting out, culture came from the top down because it was me, and then a handful of people, and we were all figuring it out together. But now, as a team of 60+ people spread across three offices, our culture has flipped. It thrives from the bottom up. If the juniors aren't happy, then no one is. Everyone must feel they can collaborate, contribute, and grow.

As a senior leader, I know when to step back and pass the baton. Leadership, to me, is about empowering others by sharing responsibility and ownership. I'm here to guide and support, not micromanage (and the same goes for every level of senior leadership). We're all in this together, different, but united by the culture we've built. Once division or cliques form, culture crumbles.

3. Prioritize Strengths and Own Your Space

Personally, I've always valued different perspectives and lived by a mantra of never hiring anyone who doesn't know more than me. After all, what's the point of surrounding yourself with people who just agree with you?

Today, we're a diverse organization of nearly 20 nationalities. Naturally, we all come from different walks of life and have our own strengths. Thus, owning your space doesn't mean trying to be everything to everyone. It's about knowing who you are, what you stand for, and sticking to that.

It's about embracing the areas where you can improve, while striving to get better every single day. None of us are perfect, but we're always learning, evolving, and pushing ourselves to be better than we were yesterday. And that, to me, is how you truly own your space.

Making the Most of Now

It's rewarding to see how far we've come. But who we were yesterday, or are today, or will be tomorrow, remains intact. We are good people who do great work, believe in ourselves, and communicate with sincerity – as trust catalyzes it all.

Even with a refreshed brand identity and mindset, we continue towards the same vision and mission as one team. As we keep growing, we will undeniably continue evolving; but maintaining sight of who we were when this all began and being present in the now will guide us as we continue scaling our impact operations across the future.